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Summer is Ending — Watch for School Busses!

Palm Beach County Schools are back in session starting August 14. Here’s what you need to know about the laws so you, your fellow travelers, and the students can stay safe.

Florida law says signs must be posted around each school zone telling drivers how fast they can go and when the school zone is in effect. Some signs feature flashing lights rather than a list of times — so don’t assume that because there aren’t lights flashing, you aren’t in a school zone.

If a driver goes over the posted school zone speed — which in Florida could be as low as 15 mph, but no higher than 20 mph — that driver could see a whopping fine. If the set school zone speed limit is 20 mph and you’re caught going 40, your fine usually would be $175 — and that’s aside from any other citations an officer may write. But that speed in an active school zone would net you a ticket of $350.

Otherwise, drivers must stop, whether approaching a bus from the front or behind, when a bus is halted with its lights flashing and its “stop” signs extended.

Penalties for drivers who pass on the right side of the bus are stiff, double the penalty for those who pass on the left.

An illegal left-hand pass could net you a $100 ticket, according to Florida statutes. If you’re ticketed for the same violation again with the next five years, your license could be suspended anywhere from 90 days to six months.

But pass on the right, and that ticket bumps up to $200, with a second violation leading to a license suspension of six months to a year.

If you get pulled over for any reason and issued a citation, contact the attorneys at Hicks & Motto for a free consultation.